State comparison
Maryland vs California: which state is better to live in?
Maryland costs a median household about $2,100 a year less in state and local taxes than California, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $4,074 a year against $5,609 in California.
Maryland
High tax burden · COL index 116
Wins 12 categories
California
Moderate tax burden · COL index 142
Wins 3 categories
Taxes: Maryland vs California
Maryland has a graduated income tax topping out at 5.75%, which works out to 4.7% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,490 a year. California has a graduated income tax topping out at 13.3%, which works out to 4.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,375 a year. California wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.97% of home value a year in Maryland and 0.71% in California (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $4,074 against $5,609, so California has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.00% in Maryland and 8.82% in California; Maryland is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $8,906 a year in Maryland, $10,957 in California. Maryland is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Maryland's cost of living index is 116 and California's is 142, where 100 is the national average; Maryland is about 22% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $420K in Maryland and $790K in California (Zillow, 2024), a $370K gap in Maryland's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,950 a month in Maryland and $2,300 in California.
Home insurance averages $1,600 a year in Maryland and $2,100 in California, so Maryland is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 468 incidents per 100,000 residents in Maryland and 499 in California (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Maryland is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 7% lower. Property crime is 1,734 per 100,000 in Maryland against 2,027 in California, again favoring Maryland.
Health
Life expectancy is 77.4 years in Maryland and 79.2 in California (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 1.8-year edge for California. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Maryland's health system 12th of 50 and California's 13th, so Maryland scores better on care.
6.5% of Maryland residents have no health insurance against 6.8% in California, which favors Maryland. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Maryland's K-12 schools 4th in the country and California's 20th, 16 places apart in Maryland's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Maryland went to Harris by 24 points and California went to Harris by 20 points.
Maryland has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; California has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A.
Abortion is protected by state law in both states, and marijuana is legal for adults in both as of 2026. The minimum wage is $15.00 an hour in Maryland and $16.00 in California.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in Maryland (hurricane, flood) and very high in California (wildfire, earthquake, drought), so Maryland is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 40 in Maryland and 62 in California (under 50 is good), favoring Maryland.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
12
Maryland
3
California
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Maryland or California better to live in?
Maryland wins more of the measures that decide a move. Maryland on taxes ($8,906 a year for a median household against $10,957); Maryland on everyday costs (index 116 against 142); Maryland on safety (468 violent crimes per 100,000 against 499); Maryland on schools (ranked 4th against 20th).
Which is cheaper, Maryland or California?
Maryland is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 116 against 142. The median home is $420K in Maryland and $790K in California (2024). On state and local taxes Maryland saves a median household about $2,100 a year.
Does Maryland or California have lower taxes?
Maryland. A household earning $74,580 pays about $8,906 a year in Maryland ($3,490 income tax, $4,074 property tax on the median home and $1,342 in sales tax) and $10,957 in California ($3,375 income tax, $5,609 property tax on the median home and $1,973 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Maryland or California?
Maryland, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 468 per 100,000 residents in Maryland and 499 in California; property crime is 1,734 against 2,027.
Which has better schools, Maryland or California?
Maryland. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Maryland 4th of 50 for K-12 and California 20th.
Is Maryland or California better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. Maryland does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an estate tax; California does not tax Social Security, taxes pensions as income and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $4,074 a year in Maryland and $5,609 in California.